Via [GBF] "The Stories We Tell Ourselves" with Daigan Gaither

We all have Stories, Opinions, and Ideas but we don’t have to buy into them.

In this talk, Rev. Daigan Gaither explains that as humans, our minds think; it’s just what they do. Letting go of these thoughts can become the focus of our practice.

He examines the trap of thinking that our meditation should be a certain way, but then our experience often does not measure up to that idea. Or we have a moment of serenity and then become attached to making every moment measure up to that. We don’t have to chase enlightenment or enlightened people; we can just experience enlightened moments when they arise.

However, he shares that we shouldn’t be so quick to discard or suppress our stories, opinions, and ideas because they contain mountains of information that can inform our practice with our feelings about ourselves and the world around us.
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Listen to the talk on your favorite podcast player, or our website: 

https://gaybuddhist.org/podcast/the-stories-we-tell-ourselves-daigan-gaither/

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Enjoy 800+ free recorded dharma talks at www.gaybuddhist.org/podcast/

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Via Daily Dharma: The Transformative Power of Engagement

 

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The Transformative Power of Engagement  If we reduce Buddhist thought and practice solely to a personal and private undertaking, then we lose something immensely important that has the potential to change many aspects of the societies that we live within.  John Peacock, “The Elephant in the Dharma Hall” CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE

The Buddhist Traveler in Taipei By Judith Hertog A sampling of the local Buddhist temples, art, and culture that is omnipresent in Taiwan’s capital city, Taipei. Read more »

Via Dhamma Wheel | Right Mindfulness and Concentration: Establishing Mindfulness of Feeling and the Second Jhāna

 

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RIGHT MINDFULNESS Establishing Mindfulness of Feeling A person goes to the forest or to the root of a tree or to an empty place and sits down. Having crossed the legs, one sets the body erect. One establishes the presence of mindfulness. (MN 10) One is aware: "Ardent, fully aware, mindful, I am content." (SN 47.10)   When feeling a bodily pleasant feeling, one is aware: Feeling a bodily pleasant feeling … one is just aware, just mindful: "There is feeling." And one abides not clinging to anything in the world. (MN 10)

Reflection In every mind moment, consciousness takes a single, particular object to be aware of, and a particular feeling tone coarises with that moment of consciousness. While knowing the object, we also know whether it feels good or bad, or has a feeling tone that is not obviously one or the other. This sensation becomes a focus point for establishing the presence of mindfulness. Just be aware of that feeling tone, arising and passing. Daily Practice In this passage we are focusing only on pleasant bodily feeling tones. Yes, we are allowed to experience pleasure and even to focus on it exclusively. As you sit in meditation, notice what feels good in your body. Even if there is discomfort in some parts of the body, there will also be comfort in other parts. Seek out the pleasure in your bodily experience, noticing its texture and how it changes, arising and passing away.  RIGHT CONCENTRATION Approaching and Abiding in the Second Phase of Absorption (2nd Jhāna) With the stilling of applied and sustained thought, one enters upon and abides in the second phase of absorption, which has inner clarity and singleness of mind, without applied thought and sustained thought, with joy and the pleasure born of concentration. (MN 4) When one sees oneself purified of all these unhealthy states and thus liberated from them, gladness is born. When one is glad, joy is born; in one who is joyful, the body becomes tranquil; one whose body is tranquil feels pleasure; in one who feels pleasure, the mind becomes concentrated. (MN 40) Reflection When the mind is temporarily free of afflicted states, it enters upon a natural path towards concentration. Whether or not you practice the jhānas, some degree of focus is an essential part of meditation practice, and this passage describes how you can gently follow the process of relaxing into concentration. Daily Practice See if you can tread the path of gladness, leading to joy, leading to peace. This is not the enthusiastic joy of winning the lottery or dancing at a wedding, but is a more subtle and deeper joy that comes from gladness, from a softening of the mind in response to its being free for some time from restlessness, sluggishness, sense desire, ill will, and doubt. Subtract, as you sit, and see if you can refrain from adding anything. Tomorrow: Understanding the Noble Truth of the Cessation of Suffering One week from today:  Establishing Mindfulness of Mind and Abiding in the Third Jhāna Share your thoughts and join the conversation on social media #DhammaWheel Questions? Visit the Dhamma Wheel orientation page.

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Via Ram Dass - Love Serve Remember Foundation \\ Words of Wisdom - March 3, 2024 💌

The transformative process is our job, so that we are not ruled by fear but by love.

- Ram Dass -

Via Dhamma Wheel | Right Effort: Abandoning Arisen Unhealthy States

 

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RIGHT EFFORT Abandoning Arisen Unhealthy States Whatever a person frequently thinks about and ponders, that will become the inclination of their mind. If one frequently thinks about and ponders unhealthy states, one has abandoned healthy states to cultivate unhealthy states, and then one’s mind inclines to unhealthy states. (MN 19) Here a person rouses the will, makes an effort, stirs up energy, exerts the mind, and strives to abandon arisen unhealthy mental states. One abandons the arisen hindrance of restlessness. (MN 141)

Reflection One of the key strategies of Buddhist practice is to abandon unhealthy states that have arisen in the mind. This word abandon is used in a particular way—as an alternative to either accepting or rejecting the experience. If you act out an unhealthy state of mind, you are only strengthening it, and if you repress it, you are only postponing its impact. The middle way is to be aware of the unhealthy state of mind, understand it is harmful, and gently release your hold on it. Daily Practice Restlessness comes up a lot, particularly in a busy daily life. It wants something different from what is happening in order to either get something desired or escape something undesired. It is important to recognize the unhelpfulness of this mental state. Restlessness is not bad or wrong, but it does hinder the mind’s ability to act skillfully. Develop the ability to recognize when you feel restless and then shake off its hold on you. Instead, just be with what is. Tomorrow: Establishing Mindfulness of Feeling and Abiding in the Second Jhāna One week from today: Developing Unarisen Healthy States Share your thoughts and join the conversation on social media #DhammaWheel Questions? Visit the Dhamma Wheel orientation page.

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Daily Dharma: Radical Transparencyia

 

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Radical Transparency

To truly connect with other human beings, especially if we choose to teach, we must dare to present ourselves in ways that depict the true variety and complexity of our human experience. Josh Korda, “Why I Come Clean to Students About My Insomnia, Anxiety, and Sobriety” CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE